Andy Burnham’s first meeting with Donald Trump was broadly uneventful, despite Burnham’s previous criticism of the US president and refusal to meet him. Commentators suggest that this difficult history could potentially help Burnham build rapport with Trump, as happened when New York mayor Zohran Mamdani unexpectedly connected with him through candid discussion and shared priorities.

Possible common ground could include Trump’s support for increased North Sea oil and gas drilling, although Burnham would risk political controversy by publicly endorsing it before Labour’s conference. The Jackdaw gas field is reportedly expected to receive approval within weeks, despite opposition from scientists, health experts and conservationists; Trump also criticised the Chagos deal while praising Burnham as a “natural businessman”.